Putin ready to answer human right questions at talks with Merkel

“We are well aware of the intensification of anti-Russian rhetoric in Germany over the past few months,” press secretary Dmitry Peskov said

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NOVO-OGAREVO, November 15 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to answer all questions, including about democracy and human rights in Russia, if they are raised at talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists, adding that the Kremlin is well aware of the intensification of anti-Russian rhetoric in Germany and tends to associate it with the beginning election campaigns.

“We are well aware of the intensification of anti-Russian rhetoric in Germany over the past few months,” he said. “We are aware of the wishes or demands addressed to Chancellor Merkel by members of the Bundestag in terms of raising various issues related to human rights and democracy in Russia,” the official said.

“If such questions are raised, then, as always, I have no doubt that Putin will exhaustively explain the points that are not clear to the German side, and, in turn, will put his questions,” Peskov said.

The RF presidential press secretary expressed confidence that Russian-German relations have a good “safety cushion” in the form of real cooperation volume that stand at goods turnover of 87 billion US dollars. “With such a strong foundation you may rest assured that the political will always be keeping up with this volume,” he said.

“Traditionally, there are circles that can hardly be called friends; there are hot heads in all countries,” the official said, adding that they often use distorted information or deliberately distort it. “Russia is ready to patiently explain all the questions, but there are people obsessed with stereotypes with whom it is difficult to communicate and it is unlikely that it will have effect on them,” he said.

Peskov suggested that in light of the pre-election battles that are beginning in Germany, obviously there will be those willing to play the anti-Russian card to their advantage. “We would not want to see Russian-German relations used in this way,” he added.